Yuusuke's angst

Yuusuke sighed as he sat in class. Since he didn't make the men's team, he wasn't excused from school. While there were still tournaments being held even while the Chess Olympics were going on, Yuusuke was in an even more dejected mood, especially after learning of Hannelore Schroeder.

If Hannelore truly was his mother, he wanted to confront her, but since he didn't make the national team, he was stuck in school.

"Shousen-kun, I'd advise you get out of your daze and focus if you don't want this piece of chalk hurled at you," Maida glared.

"Huh! Uh, e4?"

"Wrong, we're discussing alkaline metals."

"Oh, Alkaline..."

"Not the chess player, the minerals."

The mention of a great chess player like Alexander Alkaline only further depressed Yuusuke. Since he shared his birthday with Howard Steinitz, the 1st official world chess champion and father of modern chess, many had high hopes he would be just as skilled as him, especially since he was also the son of one of the top female chess players in the world, Hagemi Shousen.

However, he never showed any extraordinary talent. While he was decent at the sport, he was a far cry from the prodigy many hoped he'd be. Despite that, his mother never really berated him too much for it. When asked why, she'd usually respond with something like, "I ain't looking to build a dynasty, so who cares if you're shit. I'm good, and that's all that matters."

While Yuusuke was thankful his mother was supposedly supportive of hi in that regard, he still felt frustration at his lack of extraordinary talent, which only intensified after he met Okisato.

Okisato was his antithesis, and constantly got under his skin. While he had achieved the victory of becoming vice-president of the chess club, Okisato's constant humiliation of him only made him feel worse and that deep down, he was underserving of the position. Even though he never showed it publicly, privately, he was reduced to tears at how massive the skill difference was between him and Okisato.

Okisato was not only a grandmaster, but one of Japan's top players. Not just that, but he was the same age as Yuusuke and was not only competing for the national team at the chess Olympics, but had managed to achieve a rating of 2701 just before heading off to Budapest.

All the members of the national teams had increased their ratings with the exception of Daria, Ryonosuke, and Ginji. Azenira and Zago were both 2300, Tenju had managed to get up to 2222, Iori was now 2444 and had secured the International master title, and then there was Mimoko who now had a rating of 2809, surpassing Hagemi's 2808 rating to become the highest rated female player, not counting maestros.

Mimoko's growth also hurt Yuusuke as he had known her for years thanks to Hagemi and aria being close. But what truly sunk him to despair was Iori. When she joined the chess club, she was only rated 500, but now she had a rating over 2400 and the International master title. Yuusuke didn't even have a single title and had never surpassed 2000. He had managed to get a rating of 1909, but it was a far cry from everyone else's growth. Even Utami had managed to beat him in reaching a rating of over 2000.

"Damn it, everyone's making waves, and I'm stuck here becoming a chalk board. This vice-president title's nothing but a mockery at this point. I'm shit."

...

As school got out, Yuusuke dejectedly headed out without even bothering to head to club.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Maida glared as she clamped her hand down on Yuusuke's shoulder.

"Home, I'm depressed."

"Not a good enough excuse," Maida snarled as she began dragging Yuusuke back towards the school gates.

"Um, sure it is. Mental health is a big thing... right?"

"Even struggling to articulate your excuses. All the more reason you remain at school."

"But it's out and I really am depressed."

"All the more reason we, your teachers help you."

Yuusuke went silent and stopped resisting, allowing Maida to drag him back. But as soon as they crossed through the school gates...

"Mayana? Wow, you really became a sexy hot brooding teacher."

Standing in the courtyard was none other than Professor Skaberghast, jostling a DESPER in hand.